Superintendent Update

December 17, 2012

Dear Gibraltar Family,

We cannot begin to understand the senseless violence that has plagued the community of Newtown, Connecticut; the tragedy not only affected the families of the 27 students and staff, but tore a hole in the hearts of many who live hundreds of miles away.  I grieve for these people in a way I’ve never felt before.  My thoughts and prayers will be with the families and the community for a long time to come. 

I want to reassure our Gibraltar Community that we are doing everything we can to ensure the safety of our students and staff.  Our school staff works with students, parents, police, fire departments, and community leaders to keep our schools as safe as possible.  We have a safety plan in place, for each of our buildings, which covers a wide range of concerns.  Additionally, we have direct access to first-responders from Wayne County and throughout the State.  Staff members regularly participate in training and awareness programs to be prepared for emergencies, and we limit access to our schools by locking the doors and monitoring those who come in. 

You can help.  Each person in our community can play a role in keeping our schools safe.  When you see suspicious behavior, or people’s actions that frighten you, report those things to the police.  If you feel that this behavior is something that the schools should be aware of then please relay that information on to the school and we’ll relay it on as appropriate.

In my heart, I believe we are a safe school and a safe community and I look forward to coming to work every day.  I ask for your continued partnership with Gibraltar Schools, as we work together to keep our students and staff safe, and as we focus on the instruction to raise our students to become global citizens.  Together, we may one day be able to rid the world of this horrific violence. 

Sincerely,

Bruce S. Burger